by Cary Osborne
Dodger Stadium rumbled again after a ninth inning.
Kenley Jansen, after three consecutive blown saves, locked down his 334th career save, getting through the heart of the Colorado Rockies order in the Dodgers’ 1–0 victory on Saturday.
“We need Kenley,” said catcher Austin Barnes. “And he’s been good for us. There’s bumps in the road sometimes, but he responds.”.
The Dodgers’ all-time saves leader retired Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story quickly, before getting ahead of and losing Ryan McMahon on a walk. Jansen bounced back, though, ending the game by getting the powerful C.J. Cron to chase a slider.
Jansen was up in velocity on all three of his pitches, including 3-mph higher than his season average on his cutter.
“I was just really excited the way he was received tonight,” Roberts said. “That’s what makes the Dodger fans the best fans in all of sports. … I know Kenley fed off of it, I really do believe that. He was really good tonight, so to have him throw the baseball, close out a one-run game was big for all of us.”
Barnes hit a solo home run against Colorado starter Kyle Freeland leading off the second inning. It was enough, thanks to the performance of starter Tony Gonsolin and 3 2/3 scoreless innings from the Dodger bullpen.
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Gonsolin allowed a first-inning double to Charlie Blackmon. It was the last Rockie to get in scoring position against the Dodger right-hander.
He struck out the side in the second inning and seven batters total. Of the seven, three were on his splitter and one was on his curveball. Gonsolin threw those two pitches a combined 24 times and earned 11 called strikes or swings and misses. His 25 called strikes and swings and misses were a season best. Gonsolin threw 81 pitches and matched a season-high with 5 1/3 innings pitched.
This was the second time this season Gonsolin has pitched into the sixth inning in his eight starts. He didn’t get into the fifth inning in his previous two.
Gonsolin, who missed the first 60 games of the season with right shoulder inflammation, said his endurance is at the point where he can get deeper in games. To get there, he said the next box to check off is to be more efficient.
“Get some early outs, go 0–2 to a lot more guys and get some weak contact early,” he said.
Gonsolin’s night ended with a one-out walk to second baseman Garrett Hampson in the sixth.
Alex Vesia took over and retired the next two batters he faced. The Dodger left-hander got two outs in the seventh before a walk ended his night.
Since Vesia was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on July 9, he has faced 23 batters faced and allowed two baserunners. In six games, he hasn’t allowed a run.
The Dodgers gave Joe Kelly the chance to end the seventh inning.
Kelly, who Dave Roberts said before the game was dealing with arm soreness and was likely not an option, struck out pinch hitter Elias Díaz.
Blake Treinen retired all three batters he faced in the eighth inning before turning the ball over to Jansen.
Gonsolin starts the path, then the Dodger bullpen rights the ship was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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